Roberts top rider

Press, 22 August 1978, Page 6

Roberts top rider

NZPA-Reuter Nurburgring 11 1 Kenny Roberts became the; first American to win the world ! I 50 c.c. title by finishing third ini: the last evelit of the season yes-jl terday. The defending champion. ■ Barry Sheene, of Britain, the|; only competitor who could have!, overhauled him, could do no bet- i ter than fourth place. The race, the highlight of theh West German grand prix pro-? grammed. watched by 100.000 j I spectators, was won by the’ Italian. Virginio Ferrari, from j I the Venezuelan. Johnny Cecotto. ;j Sheene, aged 27, who has neverh imade a secret of his dislike fori: I the notorious Nurburgring cii - j i Icuit. needed to win the event to I j ; have any chance of retaining the icrown he had held for the past!: ;two years. ! The course. which snakes.' [22.Bkm through the Eifel hills l '

i near the Luxembourg border, is the longest in top-grade motori racing and lias been boycotted I by Formula One car drivers since 11976 on the grounds that its length makes it too dangerous. 1 Sheene complained before the racing at “having tb risk life | and limb“ on the track, but ■ Roberts described it as “a tremendous test of men and machines, but not dangerous or ( exhausting.*’ The South African, Kork Ballington. won the 250 c.c. class Ballington, winner of two other i 250 c.c. grand prix events earlier :in the year, moved within reach lof his second world title of the (season by beating his great rival, i Gregg Hansford, of Australia, bx t ! almost 20sec. j The South African clinched t ie (350 c.c. championship at Silverstone. There are still two races ■to go in most of the six world ‘championship events.